Premier Jet 1A Positives & Negatives

[On Your Six]

I have a friend here in the Northeast who works for a wealthy individual considering replacing his older Lear with a Premier Jet 1A. My understanding is that it would mostly be used on trips less than 500 miles (within the Northeast) and occasionally to Florida - maybe once every 6 weeks or so. The bulk of the flying would be within the Northeast and with 3-4 pax at most.

I have read previous posts about the Premier Jet and I have seen both positives and negatives (poor brakes and limited range seem to be frequently cited). My understanding is that the Premier Jet 1A is being considered - I presume it is an updated version of the older Premier Jet.

Some questions for those who know:

1. Flying impressions of the Premier Jet (1A and original)?

2. Any positives or negatives with the newer version? Range won't be a big issues because the bulk of the trips will be regional.

3. Has Raytheon been responsive to owner/operator feedback?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Groundpounder]

I think the only thing the 1A has over the 1 is a slightly improved cabin and some avionics changes, but thats it. I could be wrong though.

 

[johnsonrod]

Odd looking airplane. I taxied behind one a few days ago and I was impressed with its high profile vs. smaller (lower) Citations. I've heard it has a nice flight deck (Pro Line 21) but poor range and stiff landing gear.

 

[hogdriver00]

Demo

We did a demo of the original. Wasn't very impressed. Yes it was fast and sporty and had some nice gadgets. The brakes were a joke and if you fly with two pilots you can't take much of a load. We refer to it as the Starship II. I have heard that the 1A solved the noise problem, the original was VERY loud.

Tell you friend to buy a CJ3 or a CJ2+. He will be much happier.

Hog

 

[BoilerUP]

While I've never flown one, my wife flew them a little bit...

Fast, good avionics, and single pilot capable. She said it was a nice flying airplane, but it was her first jet.

Poor braking, limited range, and it breaks...ALOT in her experience.

I would think for that mission profile (NE flying especially) a King Air 90 or 200 would be better for lower altitudes often given by ZNY, or maybe a CJ1/2.

 

[mannyaplus11]

I flew it for a few months in Southern Calif. Positives: Nice cabin, nice avionics.
Negatives: POOR range, my owner bit on the salesman b.s. that the jet would do 1400 miles. He wanted to go from Aspen to So.Cal. with his entire family plus luggage, we had to stop in Grand Junction for gas. No lie.
It breaks ALOT!!! The guy that I flew with is still there and he tells me that the jet has NOT gotten better with age.
Go to a Lear 45 or anything else.

 

[Lead Sled]

Anything that UGLY can't be a good airplane. But what do I know, I've never flown one.

'Sled

 

[RoughAir]

I flew one for a fractional a awhile back.

Poor range with 2 pilots and 3/4 pax.

440K TAS. Proline system great.

Poor build quality on the Premier 1 model for the interior. cabin panels were velcro on the ceiling/sides and kept falling down. Seats 5/6 had very little legroom. The 1A has a revised interior layout with more room.

Poor reliability and parts support. In ACY had to wait days and days for parts at the service center. Had to take parts off the assembly line! Spoilers/lift dump system had lots of electron glitches. Made several no flap landings because of flap lockout due to a circuit problem.

Raytheon missed with this one. Not many delivered considering production run.

 

[Snakum]

I see one in CHS quite often, and I must say ... that is the ugliest airplane I think I've ever seen. I mean ... geez! uke:

 

[f-5]

Ask them about the anti-ice on, the loss of airspeed.